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Problems with 2008 Dodge Avenger AIR BAGS

On average, the 2008 Dodge Avenger starts to “feel” problems with the AIR BAGS and its various aspects after 86 409 miles.

Components Affected by AIR BAGS Issues

We have classified the 77 complaints from 2008 Dodge Avenger about AIR BAGS into the following categories.

FRONTAL 11

Recently reported AIR BAGS problems on 2008 Dodge Avenger

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 dodge avenger. the contact stated that the air bag light constantly illuminated. the dealer was notified and stated that the contact should bring the vehicle in for an inspection of the air bags. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified and stated that there were no recalls or warranties addressing the failure. the failure mileage was 64,000. updated 11/13/12 *cn

The tpms warning light came on but tires were fine. at that time the engine would stall at take off and for a few miles after. as for the airbag, when i adjust the drivers seat, the airbag light would come on and stay on during the drive. i checked for recalls on this site and found that both of them were on but when i called the warranty they said that my vin was not listed but the year make and model was. i took it in and they charged me $100.00 for diagnostics! they said they fixed it but it still stalls and the light still comes on.

I was driving east bound and i was t-boned on the driver side by a car going south bound on whom ran the light. my car spun around and hit a steel pole on my passenger side which my 10 year old son was sitting. i hit my face on steering wheel and air bags never deployed on driver side which caused terrible injury and scaring to my left eye which is still visible. my son was in the middle of car smashed against the dash had to get out with the jaws of life. the passenger air bag deployed and draping on sides also on my side nothing deployed . i had whiplash,back and facial injurys. the car i was driving 2008 dodge avenger . *tr

Ever since i purchased my 2008 dodge avenger i have been burdened with a multitude of issues. my car stalled while i was sitting at a red light, no warning..it just died. tire pressure light was always on. vehicle launches/ jerks forward when cruising at a speed of 45 or below. (and this all happened with my first year of owning the car in 2008) in 2011 gear stick got stuck in the park position..i can go on but section is for airbags, which did not deploy during an accident i had last year, 2012. i slipped on black ice, which sent my car into a tail spin resulting me hitting...actually bouncing off of the guard rail a few times. prior to the 2012 accident i have had instances where the airbag lights would randomly turn on, indicating a problem..then shutting off by itself. i would schedule appointments with the dealership, but by the time the appointment date arrives, the airbag light would magically disappear! i called dodge customer service today, as the airbag indicator is back on again..i was told by the representative that there is nothing that they can do for me. she basically told me that i'm fresh out of luck, even though there is a recall, and i am experiencing the exact airbag issue as described in the recall, own the exact make, model and year vehicle. she said my vin is not included in the recall, so there is nothing dodge can do. i think the entire 2008 dodge avenger fleets are lemons and it is about time dodge own up to their mistakes, they have no regard for their customers safety. when you are not stalling on the highways and byways, you are left stranded because you can not shift your gear out of park...oh and the airbag issue...its crucial, but unfortunalely dodge does not think so. *tr

When purchased, airbag light would come on and off. this year it has come on and stayed on.

On 1/12/12 at about 545am i was driving to work on a rainy day. while traveling on 95 north bound at about 55mph my wiper blades stop working and so did my steering wheel. my steering column was not controling my wheels and i hydroplained while trying to stop my car. my car spun around numerous times before slamming into the median wall. i have had many malfunctions with this vehicle but this one topped them all. i have been out of work since this day with injuries caused by this accident, i could have been killed. i contacted the corporate office of dodge and was basically told i was s. o. l. . now i'm stuck with no vehicle and i'm out of work because of it. my waranty on my car has expired and my insurance company will only pay for the damage that was caused from the accident not the problem that caused the accident. so what am i to do? *tr

I was driving my 2008 dodge avenger to work on 01/12/12. it was raining that morning. i attempted to merge to my right when suddenly my windshield wipers stopped and my steering wheel began to turn 360 degrees however my tires were not moving. i banged in the median. my airbags did not deploy. i was unconscious and the next thing i remember is someone cutting my drivers door off to get me out. i contacted dodge and they informed me that this was normal wear and tear of a vehicle. i do not understand how? i have not been able to return to work due to my injuries and dodge could careless. i could have lost my life that day....thank god i didn't. i need to know what to do next? *tr

Problem 1) the air bag lights would come on intermittently. problem 2) the engine stalls intermittently, especially on rainy days. problem 3) the front speakers sounded cracked or damaged and then over a short period of time the left speaker quit and the right speaker is majorly distorted. i might add this is not due to over cranking the stereo. this is due to cheap/inadequate quality speakers used. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 dodge avenger. the contact stated that the air bag warning light illuminated intermittently. the vehicle was not inspected by a dealer nor had it been repaired. the manufacturer was contacted and offered no assistance. the contact stated that when depressing the brakes he heard a loud squeaking noise. the vehicle was taken to a dealer who advised him that he needed new brakes. the vehicle was repaired. in addition to the failures the front passenger side window would freeze in one spot. the vehicle was not inspected nor was it repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

Tl* the contact owned a 2008 dodge avenger. while driving at approximately 45 mph, the contact crashed head on into another vehicle. the air bags failed to deploy. prior to the incident, the air bag warning light illuminated. the contact sustained rib and wrist injuries and the passenger sustained lacerations. medical attention was not received. it was unknown if a police report was filed. the vehicle was destroyed. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 90,000.

Purchased my 2008 dodge avenger in april 2008 and have had nothing but problem after problem with it first the air bags were recalled then the latches on the doors were recalled. the tire pressure sensor light just never goes off most recently the fuel pump went on the vehicle costing me close to 700 and now the alternator which is going to cost me another 600. what kind of vehicle did dodge build. this is some bs an all of this is while the vehicle only has about 65000 miles or less n it. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 dodge avenger. while driving approximately 55 mph, a chime sounded inside of the vehicle with the illumination of the air bag warning indicator. the intermittent failures would occur briefly for fifteen seconds. the dealer was notified of the safety concerns regarding the defect. the vehicle was neither diagnosed nor repaired. the failure mileage was 31,297.

My 08 dodge avenger airbag light comes on when ever passenger seat is moved. i took the car to the dealership several times and they are saying since it didn't happen in there lot that its my fault. i think that's just ignorance, i talked to the general manager and assistant manager about the problem. that i've heard about dodge chrysler vehicles recalls in 2000 that the airbags light can come on and may cause a electrical problem which can set airbags on. i told them what if that happens to me and i go crash or hit someone cause they don't want to figure out the problem. they said you will be responsible since your the new owner. i barely bought my car feb 5 2011 now its march 30 11. and i've taken the car 3 times due to airbag light, my car was in service for 3days i pick up today and i was ready to go airbag light came on again. again they said they cant fix the problem they don't know what is wrong with it. i am concern about my safety in this vehicle. worst buy ever. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 dodge avenger. the contact was driving 55 mph when a semi-truck crashed into the front and driver side of the vehicle. the contact lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a wall. the air bags did not deploy upon impact. the contact was injured and a police report was filed. the contact referenced nhtsa campaign id number: 07v240000 (air bags:frontal) but the vehicle was not included in the recall. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. in addition, the contact stated that prior to the crash, there were several failures in which the vehicle continuously stalled without warning. a local mechanic replaced the electronic throttle control. the dealer offered to assist the contact with the stalling defect. the failure mileage was 66,000 and the current mileage was 84,000.

The air bag warning light has been intermittently turning on in my instrument cluster for over 1 year. this means that my airbag is disabled and will not protect me and my family in a crash due to some air bag controller self diagnosed defect. i have taken the car in to the dealer several times and they incorrectly diagnosed it as a loose connector, charged me for the repair, only to have the air bag warning light come back on, disabling my air bag protection in a crash. the latest dealer visit on october 22, 2011 resulted in the dealer diagnosing the problem as a defective air bag. the dealer contacted chrysler headquarters to see if they would cover the repair. chrysler headquarters refused to cover the repair and the dealer wants to charge me $500 for a new air bag. i called chrysler customer service 1-800-992-1997 on october 24 2011 and spoke with adam (not willing to provide last name) and he recommended that i again contact the dealer. i told adam at chrysler customer service that the dealer told me to call this number and that each representative of chrysler (dealer & customer service) asking me to call the other was not very helpful. at this point i don't know what i am going to do. my air bag doesn't work because of an unknown defect, chrysler refuses to repair its defective air bag system, and i am uncertain that even if i have it repaired at my expense for $500 the air bag may not work due to several incorrect attempts to repair this vehicle in the past. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6) *tt

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 dodge avenger. the contact stated that the air bag light would constantly illuminate on the instrument panel. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and the contact was informed that the failure was due to a climate change. the vehicle was repaired, but the failure continued. the vehicle was taken back to the dealer and the wiring for the air bags was repaired. the failure continued. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in the recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number 07v240000 (air bags:frontal). the failure mileage was 40,000. updaated 12/22/11*lj updated 03/12/12

Takata recall recent and ongoing problem with my 08 dodge avenger is the airbag light has been coming on randomly, from start up and while driving. airbag has never deployed or no injuries to vehicle, has been on and off since last year. oil pressure light was also on, got the oil pressure sensor replaced, would start off from start up and would come on and off consteadly. front driversseatbelt also stopped retracting have recently had that changed as well. the tpms light has been on for about 2 years now, turns on at start up and stays on while driving. the engine light has also been on for awhile now too, from start up and while driving, just stays on, since a few months of vehicle purchase, was actually still making payments when i took it in for service for the engine light, came off and back on 2 months later, been struggling with it every since. just have learned to live with the engine light on and tpms light on as well. have had to change the alternator 3 times on this car already too. my car drives fine now, don't want to just keep ignoring the problem, would really like that fixed.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 dodge avenger. the contact stated that the air bag warning light illuminated. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was informed that the air bag sensor would need replacing. the contact inquired in regards to nhtsa campaign id number: 07v240000 (air bags: frontal) but was told by the dealer that his vin was not included in the recall. the vin was not available. the failure and current mileage was 58,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 dodge avenger. while driving 20 mph and making a left turn another vehicle crashed into the front right side of her vehicle and her air bag did not deploy. the damage to the engine was severe and it shifted backwards towards the rear causing the frame to bend. the repair cost was over $11,000. there were no injuries. the vehicle was towed to a collision shop. a police report was filed. there were no other passengers in the vehicle and the driver was wearing a seat belt during the impact. there was no maintenance performed on the air bags. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was 42,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2008 dodge avenger. while driving approximately 25 mph the contact noticed the air bag light was illuminating on the instrument panel. the contact stated the air bag light would illuminate intermittently and with time the failure became constant. the manufacturer was notified and stated there was a recall under nhtsa campaign id number: 07v240000 (air bags: frontal) but the vin was not included. the contact stated he disconnected the air bag sensor and after reconnecting it the air bag light would illuminate properly. the vehicle was repaired. the failure mileage was 60,000.

Air bag light comes on, especially after adjusting drivers seat. stopped car and wiggles wire connection under seat, fixed the issue, but has reoccur several times,. i also received a shock from the wire. *tr

On july 31st, 2010 i purchased a 2008 dodge avenger. shortly after the purchase, when adjusting the seat the driver side airbag light would come on and ding. i have contacted daimler chrysler and drivetime (car dealer) for assistance in resolving this issue but because my vin number is not included in the recall, basically have been told there is nothing that can be done. i am referring to recall 07v240000. the description fits my vehicle to a perfect match. depending on how and where the seat is positioned determines if the light is on or off. no one can tell me if the air bag will fail if involved in an accident or not. so, how do i get this addressed and covered in the recall? i can be reached by calling [xxx] or my husband cell [xxx]. he is fully aware of the situation. i am a nurse and unable to take calls at work. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Automatic transmission: i was not able to put the car into drive, reverse or neutral. *tr

My airbag light will come on and go off. i brought it into the dealership and they ran a scan on the avenger. they discovered that the code on the scan was the drivers seat sensor. they have recommended that i replace the airbag which is no longer under warranty. when i brought to there attention that there was a recall on the seat sensor they told me that my car was not included in the recall. so even if i pay to replace the airbag $1000 + and the issue is the sensor my airbag will still not work properly. i have found that i am not the only person who has this issue and is not covered by the recall. my avenger also stall without reason. the dealership scanned it and no codes came up. they reset the computer. this has been going on for a year now. it has happened 6 or 7 times, even in the middle of the intersection. *tr

Front passenger airbag light kept coming on. dealer found that internal fault w/seat side air bag module. *tr

Own 2008 dodge avenger r/t. the air bag light came on. took car to the dealer and they say there is a short in the airbag. it will need to be replaced. it will not go off in the event of a crash. they say it is not covered under any warranty. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 dodge avenger. while driving 30 mph, the engine seized. on other occasions, the vehicle spontaneously accelerated and then dragged. also, the driver's seat belt detached without warning and the air bag warning indicator illuminated. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the thermostat, clockspring, ecm manifold, throttle body, starter, battery, air fan, integrated power module, air conditioner, compressor, intake runner, steering wheel, and engine needed to be repaired. the vehicle was taken to brockton chrysler jeep dodge ram (241020 belmont st, brockton, ma 02301, (781) 961-1550), but was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was contacted and did not assist. the failure mileage was 36,000. the vin was invalid.

I purchased a 2008 dodge avenger dec. 31, 2008. it was a used vehicle, the first problem may have been 5-6 months of having the car, it would stall when cranking and had cut off a couple of times when driving in traffic. i took it to the dealer and they claim they couldn't find what was wrong with it. about a month later the airbag light stays on while driving. they fix that. now 10 months after having the car i'm in the car and trying to reverse and can't. the dealer tells me that my warranty just ran out. the part costs 200.00. i can't afford that and i don't think i should because i hadn't even had the car for a year. they told me i couldn't do anything unless i had a warranty. my boyfriend's brother had to take the cover off and now everytime i want to go in reverse i have to push in this red spring in order for it to reverse. please let me know who i can talk to about this problem. it is unsafe for me to drive like this, the console is not there but i can't afford the part right now. *tr

An end over end roll of 5 to 8 rolls where the air bags did not deploy. this happened in a 2008 dodge avenger ,which has an air bag recall but i was told mine was not on the recall list. it is pretty evident that there was a defective problem somewhere that kept the bags from deploying. i am concerned how many other avengers should have been on that recall and why mine was not or why the bags did not deploy properly. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2008 dodge avenger which was purchased on 10/20/2008 with 19,000 miles. she stated that the airbag warning light continued to illuminate on the warning panel and the warning chime would continue to beep. the dealer replaced the driver's side seat air bag per the warranty. on a separate occasion, the airbag warning light illuminated and the dealers diagnostic test indicated that the air bags associated with the driver's side air bag and replaced it. she was also unable to start the vehicle after she attempted to turn the key in the ignition. the vehicle was towed to the dealer. the dealer stated that there was a broken spring in the shifter and the entire shifter would need to be replaced. the repairs were made per the warranty. the third failure occurred when the air bag warning light illuminated on the warning panel. the vehicle has not been repaired. the failure mileage was under 20,000 and the current mileage was 33,000.

My son bought a new dodge avenger 2008 back in march. he was in a wreck on sunday dec 14th. he was exiting the turnpike (road had started to ice over) and he slid into the car in front of him. he hit the car in front of him. estimated speed at time of impact was about 50 mph. his air bags did not deploy. the car dealer told him that it would only deploy if he hit the car right on the center front. *tr

Car running sluggish no power,taken to dealer nothing wrong, clicking in engine compartment when air conditioner on, dealer, nothing wrong,transmission pulling. soon after electrical, loud popping noise coming from passenger side everytime the air conditioner/heater turned on then off, defroster out on passenger side, and rear window, not working at all, air bag light turns on wont turn off, have to move front seat back then forward till light turns off, so irritated and disappointed expected better from dodge, american made?? wow lost for words. car is falling apart, i need my heater and defroster someone please help. *tr

Air bag light would illuminate off and on disabling airbag off and on and then became continuous. this has happened many times beginning in 2009 and continuing to this day. car has been in shop for this 3-4 times. first time they told me it was because i set my purse on the passenger side seat and that set it off. other times i get told it is lose contacts, they adjust the contacts and it is fine for about a month then it begins again. *tr *js

Tl*the contact owns a 2008 dodge avenger. the driver's side air bag light randomly illuminated in the vehicle and has remained lit. the contact did not take the vehicle to the dealer for inspection; however, she found a recall online for the same failure. she called the manufacturer and was informed that her vin did not apply to the recall. the current and failure mileages were 20,000. updated 09/13/08. *lj updated 09/16/08 *jb

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 dodge avenger. the drive side air bag warning light would intermittently illuminate. the vehicle was taken to the dealer a minimum of six times in an attempt to repair the failure under factory warranty. unknown repairs were made to the vehicle but did not correct the failure. the vehicle was currently at the dealer for an additional repair. the dealer advised repairs would be at the owners expense due to the expiration of the factory warranty. the manufacturer had not been contacted. the failure mileage was 43,000 and the current was unknown. updated 06/03/10*bf

2008 dodge avenger. my engine has stalled several times at speeds under 15 mph while coming to a stop. my cars brake light and air bag light come on intermittently they cleared the code and released the car to me. they are telling me the same they cannot reproduce the problem. there is a knocking under front end which i am taking it in for tomorrow. they have fixed 2 leaks in the trunk, 1 in the door soaking the floor and the stereo that was loosing time. *tr

I was in a 2008 dodge avenger that was a rental car. i was driving through a construction area when the truck in front of me slammed on its brakes. i was going below the 55 mph speed limit, and had a safe distance between me and the truck in front of me. when i slammed on my brakes, the car did not stop. i pressed harder and the car slowed down but did not stop until it hit the truck in front of me. there was definitely a brake failure. then the air bag exploded instead of deploying leaving me with burns on both arms and hands. since then the rental car company has told me there have been 4 recalls on this vehicle. *tr

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